When in Doubt...Slide!
It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since I first do-si-do’ed out of my comfort zone and into a square dancing club in St. Petersburg, FL. It’s been a steady source of joy, laughter, and connection on Monday nights. Who knew a group of people moving in coordinated patterns to lively music could bring such delight? (Okay, I guess the members of the Suncoast Squares who have been square dancing for decades knew!)
This past Monday happened to be “birthday night.” On the last Monday of the month, the group celebrates those born in that month. One of our members, Robin, is an exceptional baker. Every month he creates an outstanding dessert for this occasion, and this month, Robin truly outdid himself. He unveiled a new recipe…an apple crisp cheesecake accompanied by a bowl of gooey caramel for those who wished to drizzle a little extra deliciousness over the top. It was a little slice of heaven!
As if that weren’t enough, he also brought his famous carrot cake and a batch of brownies. This is relevant to my story because it explains why everyone was even more silly and prone to laughter this week. We were all on a sugar high!
This was quite apparent in the last hour when we do “Plus calls,” the more advanced part of the evening. After a year, I’ve gotten comfortable with the Mainstream calls, the beginning calls we learned, but the Plus calls? Let’s just say they still trip me up.
One of my friends missed several weeks in a row, so the Plus calls are shaky for him too. Our kind club president, Dan, gave us some encouraging words before we started: “Don’t worry about it, guys. Just do the calls you know.”
Well, our square broke down quickly, and before I knew it, people were wandering around looking completely lost. Something in my brain snapped, and I took Dan’s words to heart. I just started doing one of my favorite moves, the Slide Thru, over and over again through the center of our square.
The Slide Thru is a simple move where you pass the person across from you with arms extended like a figure skater launching across an ice rink. As an added bonus, the dancers are encouraged to make a swishing sound while doing it. For Star Trek fans, imagine a group of people making the sound of the doors opening on the Enterprise. That’s actually how our Caller described the sound.
At first, my square looked at me like, “What on earth is he doing?” I remained committed to my antics, and some of them started laughing. That laughter was contagious. Eventually, dancers in the other square looked over to see what was so funny. From their perspective, all they could see was me “sliding thru” again and again like I was doing my best Adam Rippon impression at the Olympics. Some were laughing so hard they had tears streaming down their cheeks.
It probably wouldn’t be funny to anyone outside of the situation, but because most of us were on a sugar high, my ridiculousness really struck a funny bone. And here’s the bigger lesson this group has taught me: sometimes it’s okay to stop trying so hard, let go of “getting it right,” and just move with the joy of the moment.
In addition to the sweet treats, another tradition of birthday night is calling those celebrating a birthday to the front of the room to answer a few questions. The usual questions are, “Where were you born? Where did you grow up? Where did you graduate high school?”
The last question is a wild card. In previous months, they’ve asked things like: “Where did you start dancing? Where did you have your first kiss? What is something you are good at that would surprise us?” This month the wild card question was, “What is something unexpected that happened to you this year?”
Although many things came to mind, the best answer I could give was this square dancing club. I never imagined myself committing to something so far outside my comfort zone, especially since it requires braving rush-hour traffic for over an hour on I-75 every Monday. But here I am, a year later, and I can honestly say it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
Yes, the dancing is great exercise for body and brain, but the real gift is the people. They are fun-loving, kind, welcoming souls who remind me every week that life doesn’t have to be so serious. I hope to be dancing with them for years to come.
So here’s my invitation to you: if you’re stuck in routine, if joy feels a little out of reach, maybe it’s time to “slide thru” your own comfort zone. Try something new. Meet new people. Do something silly to help you not take life so darn seriously.
And if you want a little support in getting unstuck, I’d be honored to assist you with a series of Spiritual Coaching Sessions or a Private Family Constellations Session. Both can help you break free of old patterns so you can embrace life more fully. Please explore my website for more information and to book a session. I look forward to creating joyful miracles with you!
Until next time, when life feels confusing, I encourage you to just pick a move you do know and slide through with joy.
Into the holy instant the thought of joy is extended, and the light of laughter shines upon it.
A Course in Miracles ~T-27.V.2:2